M20 75mm Recoilless Rifle (1945)
The M20 Recoilless Rifle saw action towards the end of World War 2 but was in widespread use by the time of the Korean War.
The M20 sported a running length of 6 feet, 10 inches and a weight of 114.5lbs. Despite these numbers, the M20 was intended as a portable battlefield weapon system. Its design was rather straightforward with the barrel being the largest component the weapon. It was smooth in appearance and lacked any muzzle brake at the business end. There were carrying handles along the sides of the barrel system just aft of the midway point. The rear was identified by the enlarged conical exhaust section tapered outwards to which a vented screen cap was affixed to allow for the exiting of propellant gasses needed in the firing action. The shape of this assembly proved critical in containing the spent gasses and directing them to the rear of the weapon. The barrel typically sat atop a heavy duty tripod assembly for support, usually the M1917A1 machine gun mount, but could be mounted to vehicles as needed. The tripod was installed well aft of the weapon's center point as the weight was generally concentrated towards the rear of the weapon as a whole. The tripod was adjustable for height and elevation and allowed for 360-degree traversal while a sighting device was affixed to the left side of the barrel.
The M20 made use of a 75x408mm R (2.95") projectile that was identifiable by its largely perforated base which allowed propellant gasses to quickly escape towards the vented cap at the rear of the breech. Nearly half of the projectile was perforated in this fashion with the warhead being conventionally conical in shape. The 75mm projectile was loaded through the rear of the breech which held a two-handled vented door for quick access. The door was then closed and the weapon made ready to fire. The barrel of the M20 was rifled with a uniformed right-hand twist design which produced the needed rotation of the exiting projectile upon launch (hence no stabilization fins seen on the projectile itself). Muzzle velocity was equal to 1,000 feet per second using the standard 20.5lb HEAT (High-Explosive, Anti-Tank) round which gave a range out to 7,000 yards in ideal conditions and armor penetration up to 100mm (4"). Other available projectile types included a basic 21.8lb High-Explosive round for countering soft targets and infantry and a 22.6lb smoke round useful in generating smoke screens. Due to the nature of the M20 and its associated weights, a typical gunnery crew numbered at least two to three personnel. Of course it was required that no personnel were positioned to the rear of the weapon for obvious reasons concerning the exiting propellant gasses.
The US Army's move towards fielding capable recoilless rifles finally produced viable forms by the end of World War 2. In the latter months of the conflict, the M20 was pressed into service and shipped in limited quantities beginning in March of 1945 to American forces in both the European and Pacific Theaters of War. Their use was just as limited for the war in Europe was over in May and the war in the Pacific in August.
With M20 stocks having grown since the close of World War 2, the M20 was pressed back into action with the arrival of the Korean War after the Communist North invaded the Democratic South. The US-led UN sought to contain the spread of communism by any means included armed deterrence. While the M20's armor-piercing qualities left much to be desired, particularly when tackling the fabled Soviet T-34 Medium Tanks fielded by the North and Chinese, the system excelled against light armored targets and fixed infantry defensive positions. As a result, it served well in the short-ranged infantry support role moreso than the intended anti-tank role.
The M20 saw some limited action in the early years of the Vietnam War but generally fell out of favor with the arrival of wire-guided anti-tank missile systems now coming online. Despite its World War 2 pedigree, the M20 still sees some limited frontline service in inventories of less-developed armies around the world. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
MilitaryFactory.com does NOT sell equipment/weaponry. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information. Our disclaimer. Email corrections / Comments to MilitaryFactory at Gmail dot com.
Specifications for the
M20 75mm
Recoilless Rifle
Country of Origin: United States
Manufacturer: State Factories - USA
Initial Year of Service: 1945
Overall Length: 2080mm (81.89in)
Barrel Length: 2,080.00mm (81.89in)
Weight (Empty): 114.64lbs (52.00kg)
Cartridge: 75mm
Action: Recoilless
Feed: Single-Shot; Reusable Tube
Muzzle Velocity: 1,000ft/sec (305m/sec)
Range: 21,000ft (6,401m; 7,000yds)
Sights: Included Sights
Variants:
M20 - Base Series Designation
M18 - Smaller caliber variant appearing in March of 1945.
Operators: Canada; Lebanon; United Kingdom; United States; South Korea; South Vietnam; Vietnam
BY YEAR:
• 1700 to 1799
• 1800 to 1899
• 1900 to 1909
• 1910 to 1919
• 1920 to 1929
• 1930 to 1939
• 1940 to 1949
• 1950 to 1959
• 1960 to 1969
• 1970 to 1979
• 1980 to 1989
• 1990 to 1999
• 2000 to 2009
• 2010 to 2019
• VIEW ALL
• Compare Guns
BY TYPE:
• Anti-Aircraft Weapons
• Anti-Material Rifles
• Anti-Tank Weapons
• Automatic Rifles
• Bolt-Action Rifles
• Carbine Guns
• Flamethrowers
• Flintlock Guns
• Grenade Launchers
• Hand Grenades
• Lever-Action Rifles
• Machine Guns
• Mortars
• Musket Guns
• Pistols / Handguns
• Recoilless Rifles
• Revolvers
• Rocket Launchers
• Shotguns
• Silenced Guns
• Sniper Rifles
• Special Weapon Systems
• Submachine Guns
• VIEW ALL
SPECIAL:
• 18th Century Warfare
• 3 Soldiers Statue
• Battle of Mogadishu
• Chainmail Armor
• Firearm Types Defined
• French Military Victories
• Medieval Crossbow
• Medieval Longbow
• Vietnam War Casualties
• Vietnam War Memorial
WORLD WAR 2:
• British Guns
• French Guns
• German Guns (ALL)
• German Rifles
• Italian Guns
• Japanese Guns
• Soviet Guns
• US Guns
• US Infantry Regiment-Level Guns
• Machine Guns
• Pistols
• Rifles
• Submachine Guns
• Sniper Rifles
• VIEW ALL
WORLD WAR 1:
• Pistols
• Rifles
• Machine Guns
• Mortars
• US Guns
• VIEW ALL
KOREAN WAR:
• Machine Guns
• VIEW ALL
VIETNAM WAR:
COLLECTIONS:
• Ancient Weapons
• British SAS Weapons
• Civil War Guns
• Colt Guns
• Glock Guns
• GROM Polish Special Forces
• Guns of Libya
• Guns of North Korea
• Guns of Syria
• Guns of WW1 & WW2
• Heckler & Koch Guns
• Kalashnikov Guns
• Modern Russian Guns
• Navy SEAL Weapons
• Spetsnaz Weapons
• Weapons of Desert Storm
• Wild West Guns
• Winchester Guns
HOLLYWOOD/GAMES:
©2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • Content ©2003-2013 MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Site Contact Email: militaryfactory at gmail dot com. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® trademarks and protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws.
Top MF Stuff: 2013 Military Pay Scale | Military Ranks | WW2 Weapons | Sniper Rifles | Kts to Mph | WW1 Aircraft | Automatic Rifles | Aircraft Cockpits | Vietnam War Weapons | Main Battle Tanks | Submachine Guns | Shotguns | French Military Victories
Most photographic images appearing on this site are courtesy of the United States Department of Defense and are approved for public use. Other images acquired through the public domain. Digital art work courtesy of Dan Alex. Business Consulting by Kyle Williams. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information.
